Best Pizza in Bolivia -- Cozzolisi !

by Steve Baker
(Santa Cruz, Bolivia)

As an American, one of the things I have missed most while living in Santa Cruz is good pizza. I'm sorry, and I know there's no accounting for taste, but I find Eli's to be terrible. They don't seem to have any idea what kind of cheese or meat to put on a pizza. Their workers are often rude and totally uninterested, distracted.


Well,finally, after seven years I have eaten them all! All the pizzas in Santa Cruz! Please do not ask me to do that with fried chicken!

Now, remember, I'm judging the worthiness of pizza with this ideal in mind: Chicago toppings on New York thin, crispy crust. I don't want thick or soggy crust. I don't want ham or hamburger, I want pepperoni or Italian sausage. Anything else is gravy.

The best American-style pizza in town is -- COZZOLISI !

They go to all the trouble to import their pepperoni directly from the U.S. They have the cheese right. They have the crust right. They are the best! If you try it, I think you will agree with me, if not, please contact me. One other thing, the service at Cozzolisi is always impeccable and the people are sweethearts.

Now, the bad news. They don't open until 6:00 PM. There are days I could cry. Don't they know pizza is good for breakfast (cold), lunch, or dinner?

Cozollisi has the heart-of-San Martin location mentioned on this website, but they also have a restaurant downtown on C. La Riva #148. They are also in La Paz and Cochabamba.

Saharah pizza and service are just not nearly as good, but might be good enough for second place. The new pizza place at IC Norte is better than most. Capri pizza on Monseñor is also better than most, though they still have a few puzzles to solve.

But why settle for less than the best? COZZOLISI. --more--

I don't get paid--even in food--by the restaurants I recommend. Unfortunately.

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Dec 06, 2013
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Pizza in Santa Cruz
by: Steve Baker

There's a bunch of new pizza places in town and I haven't had time to try all of them (yet!) and I haven't even heard of the one you mention. Where is it?

Dec 06, 2013
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Wait until you try :El Tomate Pizzeria Bistro
by: Alejandro

Best pizza in the world, not only in Bolivia.

May 28, 2012
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Uyuni Pizza
by: Steve Baker

Mike, I guess it's good to know that, at the end of the earth, there is good pizza. As soon as I make the four day or so trek there, I'll let you know how it is. Actually, I want to travel to Uyuni sometime anyway, so I might as well save room for pizza.

In the meantime, most of the time, Santa Cruz is where the food needs to come to if it wants to get eaten by me.

Mr. Pizza is only in La Paz, I believe, maybe Cochabamba too? And not as good as Cozxolisi.

For me, the only pizza I've ever had here that was up to Italian-American standards is Cozzolisi!

Their American pepperoni would be worth the price of admission alone. Nice people and great service too!

May 20, 2012
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Best chain vs Best Single-location Pizzaria
by: Mike Bevis

Cozzolis is a very good chain for Pizza in Bolivia. But I believe that the best pizza place in Bolivia is Minuteman Pizza in Uyuni. It is located at the back of the hotel which is located very close to the entrance of the Regiment.

It is run by an American and his Bolivian wife. It serves really excellent pizza. But it is located very far from Santa Cruz, La Paz, etc., so it is not that widely known.

I work all over Bolivia for 3 months a year, and have done so for 7 years. So I have checked out hundreds of pizza places.

Another pretty good chain is Mr. Pizza.

Dec 08, 2011
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Pizza ...
by: Teresa Brown

Hey Steve, a serious pizza fan!

Maybe you could order an extra pizza when you dine-in, take it home, freeze it and have it for breakfast sometime.

We are looking forward to having having pizza with you and your precious wife real soon!


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